Help me choose a concert in Venice
 

On an old thread I got a great link, www.turismovenezia.it, which has listings of events in December 2006. We'll be in Venice Friday and Saturday nights, 15 & 16 December. I was planning to look into a concert at Querini Stampalia. On both nights the Interpreti Venezia will be playing at the San Vidal Church which is on or near Campo San Stefano, where there will also be a Christmas Market open till 7:30 p.m.

However, I found on the turismo site that there will be a classical concert Saturday night by Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice. I saw a picture of the theatre and it looks gorgeous. Is that an opportunity we shouldn't pass up?

I'd say we could do two classical concerts, one Friday and one Saturday, but I think my brother-in-law will want to go to a jazz club. Know anything about Bacaro Jazz? We could do the jazz club on Friday. Or perhaps after the classical concert?

Don't miss La Fenice. It is one of the grandest opera houses in Europe. Giuseppe Verdi premiered Rigoletto and La Traviata in that opera house.

It has recently been restored, because of its recent fire. Many tourist visit the opera house outside of the opera season.

I would purchase the tickets if I were you. I know that the opera sells out quickly.

This is a concert by the orchestra del Teatro La Fenice, not an opera. But I suspect we should jump on the opportunity to see this opera house.

Just a footnote about La Fenice. John Berendt wrote a book called "The City of Fallen Angels". It is about the investigation and rebuilding of La Fenice. You might find it an interesting read before you travel to Venice. John Berendt also wrote "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil".

I was at La Fenice in September-it is exquisitely beautiful, and any sort of performance there should be a must-go event-do not dress down either! I have said a number of times on this site that one of the must-dos in Venice is a tour of La Fenice-is is VERY well done, very well worth the 7-8 euro admission, and then, come to the opera house for a performance in the evening, take a spritz in the bar/intermission area with its lovely and unfinished frescos (remaining from the fire) of Dante's La Divina Commedia on the walls. Exquisite pale pink and green color schme in the public areas, but oh, the ceiling of La Fenice - FAB!

Dear Judy

We too will be in Venice over the weekend of 15/16 December. I would love to go to La Fenice and so was excited at the information that there is a concert on Saturday 16th. However La Fenice web site says that there is is no concert that night. Where did you get your infromation from? I hope that yours is correct and that their web site is wrong!

Have seen Interpreti Venezia perform Four Seasons and enjoyed it very much. Also saw a performance at La Fenice and enjoyed that as well. If I had to choose between the two, though, I would probably choose La Fenice...the interior is stunning and at least as entertaining as the performance. The lights in La Fenice are dimmed - not turned off - during the performance so that you can continue to enjoy the beauty of the theater.

I have also had many drinks at Bacaro Jazz - we usually go before dinner but have only sat in the front room where the bar is. It seems to be popular and packed, but I don't recall there ever being live jazz while we were there. They usually just play jazz cds or dvds...and their website indicates live music "when we find good muicians in Venice."

www.bacarojazz.com

Another good place for drinks and lounge-y music (not necessarily jazz) is Centrale Lounge.

www.centrale-lounge.com

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Look at my first post. There's the link for the site where I saw the concert info. I'm hoping that in December La Fenice will update their concert info.

I saw in a current guidebook that Bacaro has live jazz on Wednesdays, so we will miss it.

Gotta run but will check back later. Thanks, all!

Judy
After I posted my reply I did the sensible thing and used the link in your first email. Lots of useful stuff so many thanks for posting it. However no mention of the concert at La Fenice.

Street: click on Winter in Venice. The La Fenice schedule starts on pg. 14.

we went to a concert in La fenice a few weeks ago. It is very beautiful and the orchestra was excellent. I'm sure you would enjoy this experience, if you enjoy music at all.
apart from the stalls, it is all boxes, so try to make sure that you get front row seats as there is no rake in the boxes.
I'd looked at the querini Stampini, but we ran out of time. THe building alone looks very interesting.
Can't help with the jazz, but i'm sure you'll enjoy the experience of anything you see there.
Good luck!

In case you didn't find it, SteelCityWoman, pasted below is the program. Sounds good to me! Let's check the La Fenice website again at the end of the week. Maybe it will be updated. Maybe I'll see you there!

sabato 16 dicembre 2006, ore 20.00 / Saturday 16 December 2006, 8pm
GIOACHINO ROSSINI
L’italiana in Algeri: Sinfonia / Italian Girl in Algiers: orchestral
SAVERIO MERCADANTE
Concerto per flauto e archi in mi minore op. 57 / Concerto for flute and strings in Eminor
op. 57
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Sinfonia n. 3 in re maggiore D 200f / Symphony No. 3 in D, D 200f
flauto / flute Angelo Moretti
Direttore / Conducted by Giampaolo Bisanti
Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice

Judy-Bacaro Jazz does have live jazz on certain days, but it is mostly recorded music-everytime I pass that place (as I usually take apts. located within a 5 minute walk or so from there) it has been well-populated.

Beanweb mentioned Centrale Lounge-I've recommended this late night lounge/cool space venue a few times on this board-I really like it-I've been there for dinner, which was good (not great) but it's a real meeting place for the young professional Venetian crowd, few tourists, has a very cool bar, friendly atmosphere, and stays open until 2am. It is no more than two minutes from La Fenice directly down the calle opposite of La Fenice-everyone goes here for a post-theater bite or cocktail after a performance.

As for La Fenice, it rarely has operas performed here during the season-mostly concerts and ballets. You can get cheap 15 Euro tickets on the top balcony the day of the performance.

Girlspytravel, thanks for the tips about the Centrale Lounge and cheap tix at La Fenice. I'll be interested to see when/if the concert is listed on the La Fenice website and what the ticket prices are.

SteelCityWoman, I was just browsing classictic.com and found the following in Venice our weekend:

La Boheme at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista in San Polo, Sat., 12/16; 9 p.m., 40 Euros.

Virtuosi Di Venezia: Vivaldi and Opera
San Marco Chamber Orchestra doing a program of opera: Vivaldi, Mozart, Rossini, Puccini, et al.
At Ateneo di San Basso, Piazza San Marco, 12/16, 8:30 p.m., 25 Euros.

I'd happily go to the concert at Querini Stampalia Saturday night if the La Fenice concert isn't happening, as it's close to our hotel.

One thing, Judy DO NOT let those those little girls who sell tickets at La Fenice (helloVenezia personnel) try to tell you that those 15 Euro tickets are not available. They DO that, you know, so you will buy the 100 or 75 Euro tickets, which you absolutely do not need for a concert-the acoustics are superb, so it really doesn't matter WHERE you sit in La Fenice-so you might as well get the best deal and pay the cheapest price.

On the other hand, for an opera, which are staged rarely there, you WOULD want a better, therefore, more costly seat, so that you could see all the action and set design.

Thank you, GirlSpyTravel. Should I phone in advance, go to the box office in advance, or just show up at showtime to request reduced tickets?

Just show up about an hour or so before showtime-they INSISTED in the afternoon that there would be no 15 Euro tickets, or rather, one of them did. Then, when I showed up around 7:15, the other one said, "we have 100 Euro tickets available," and then I said, "what about the 15 Euro tickets on the top balcony?" "oh, we have some left at that price too" she said reluctantly.

I could have let them have it over this deception-but it was a magical night, so I let it go.

Better to just laugh that stuff off, I think, and be grateful you got your bargain. Thank you for your great advice!

No problem, Judy. Given your line-up of events, you're going to have a magical time as well.

SteelCityWoman, I've found that concert listed again. Maybe it is happening!

Visit www.aguestinvenice.com for listings of what's happening in Venice in December. I've pasted below the special concert at La Fenice as listed on www.turismovenezia.it. Now if only it would show up on the La Fenice site!

GRAN TEATRO LA FENICE
Campo S. Fantin 1965
Boat lines 1-3-82 to S. Marco
ORCHESTRA SEASON 2006-2007

SPECIAL CONCERTS
Giampaolo Bisanti conducts.

Gioachino Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri: symphonic; Saverio Mercadante’s Concerto for flute and strings in E minor, op. 57; Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 3 in D.

Angelo Moretti, flute; The Fenice Theater Orchestra: Saturday 16 December, 8pm

Orchestra: Section A € 150.00, Section B, € 200.00.
Central boxes: € 200.00 / € 150.00
Side boxes: € 150.0; seats with limited visibility, € 100.00
Balcony and gallery: € 50; seats with limited visibility, € 25.

Information and tickets at HelloVenezia agencies around the city, tel. 041.24.24: Fenice Theater, 9.30am to 6.30pm (except when conflicting with Fenice performances); Piazzale Roma, Railway Station, Lido SME, 8.30am to 6.30pm; Mestre, Monday-Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday 8.30am to 1pm. Web site: www.hellovenezia.it

I didn't have any luck on the hellovenezia site. I might just wait till we arrive and hope that if there is a concert on 16 December that it isn't sold out. Or maybe I'll phone or have my sister in England phone La Fenice.

Thanks Judy for the price information.
I hadn't realised just how expensive it is! If Girlspytravel sees this, when you have bought the 15 Euro tickets were the full prices equally as expensive? Also, the concert starts at 8 so what time should we be there to try and get these standby tickets? Is the view compeletly obscured or can you see a bit? We're on a tight budget but I am used to cheap standby tickets over here (England).
What is the Querini Stampalia concert you referred to? Couldn't see anything on the turismevenezia site but then I'm not confident that I was looking at the right thing!
Many thanks

Girlspytravel mentioned arriving at 7:15 p.m. I wonder if those are the seats "for hearing only." I'm thinking the guest flutist at La Fenice is a celebrity. It is a Special Concert so perhaps he's an international flute superstar. Those tickets are expensive. I think I'll google him.

When we arrive in Venice our hotels will surely have the what's happening publication, "A Guest in Venice." Meanwhile you can check out their website listings. Click on 'Show' at the bottom. Meanwhile I've cut and pasted the shows for Dec. 15 & 16 below. Querini Stampalia seems to have the least expensive concert, but it's a soloist not an orchestra. The musem is very close to where we are staying. The San Vidal concerts (right above Stampalia) are supposed to very good.

CARLO GOLDONI THEATER
Calle Goldoni, San Luca - Boat lines 1-82 to Rialto
L’Addio. Closing evening of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 250th birthday celebrations. Program includes performance of Alexander Pushkin’s “micro-drama” Mozart and Salieri, followed by Mozart’s Requiem K. 626 played by the San Giorgio Music Academy Orchestra conducted by Peter Guth and the Santa Cecilia Polyphonic Chorus conducted by Paolo Piana: Friday 15 December, 8pm.
Admission: orchestra and 1st section, € 30 (discounts, € 27, students, € 22); other sections, € 18.
Ticket office: Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm; closed Thursday afternoon. Info, tel. 041.240.20.11.
Further information regarding ticket sale and reservations at HelloVenezia agencies in town, tel. 041.24.24.
Web site: www.hellovenezia.it

ATENEO SAN BASSO
Piazzetta dei leoncini – St. Mark’s Square
Boat lines 1-82 to San Marco / San Zaccaria
THE VENICE VIRTUOSI CONCERTS
Concert Season 2006 – St. Mark’s Chamber Orchestra.
Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Chamber music concerts: 1-3-6-8-10-1215-17-27-29 December, 8.30pm.

Vivaldi and the Opera. Chamber music concerts: 2-5-9-12-16-28-30 December, 8.30pm.
Admission: € 25, discounts, € 20.
Tickets at the Ateneo on concert days (10am-1pm, 2pm-8.30pm), and at participating hotels, travel agencies and “Box-Office” outlets. Musica & Musica, tel. 041.521.02.94.
Web site: www.virtuosidivenezia.com

CHURCH OF SAN VIDAL
Campo S. Vidal
Boat lines 1-82 to Accademia
VIOLINS IN VENICE – Interpreti Veneziani Orchestra.
Concert with music by Vivaldi, Mozart, Saint-Saens: 4-8-11-15-18-20-26-28-30 December, 8.30pm.

Concert with music by Vivaldi, Corelli, Bach, Bazzini: 12-14-16-19-21-23 December, 8.30pm.

Admission: € 22.00, discounts, € 17.00.
Tickets at participating hotels, travel agencies and the church.
Info, tel. 041.277.05.61. www.interpretiveneziani.com

QUERINI STAMPALIA FOUNDATION
Castello, Campo S. Maria Formosa
Boat lines 1-82 to Rialto / S. Zaccaria
CONCERTS AT THE FOUNDATION
presented by the school of antique music
Cristiano Contadin, viola da gamba, plays Baroque music for viola solo: Friday 8 and 15 Dec., 5pm and 8.30pm.

Vivaldi consort. 17th-century Venetian motets: Saturday 16 December, 5pm and 8.30pm.
Admission (including museum and exhibitions): € 8.00, discounts, € 6.00. Info, tel. 041.271.14.11.

SCUOLA GRANDE S. GIOVANNI EVANGELISTA
San Polo 2454
Boat lines 1-82 to San Tomà
OPERA FESTIVAL
Opera performances with orchestra, singers and chorus.
La Bohème by Puccini: 2-9-16-23 December. 9pm.
Admission: armchairs, € 40.00; category A, € 35.00; category B, € 30.00.
Tickets at the Scuola starting 6pm. Info, tel. 328.87.84.266, 340.54.66.965.
Web site: www.musicainmaschera.it

PALAZZO ALBRIZZI
German-Italian Cultural Association
Cannaregio 4118 – Boat line 1 to Ca’ d’Oro
MUSICAL MATINEES AT PALAZZO ALBRIZZI
Recital with pianist Roberto Franca. Music by F. Liszt, A. Skriabin and M. Ravel: Saturday 16 December, 5.30pm.
Admission by invitation or with membership card.
Info: German-Italian Cultural Assn., tel. 041.52.32.544. www.acitve.com; e-mail: [email protected]

PALAZZO DELLE PRIGIONI
San Zaccaria. Ponte della Paglia
Boat lines 1-51-52 to San Zaccaria
COLLEGIUM DUCALE CONCERTS
Baroque music concerts with works by Vivaldi, Albinoni, Marcello and others: All Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in December, 9pm.

Jazz concert with works by Gershwin, C. Porter, M. Davis: All Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 9pm, and Saturdays, 6pm.
Admission: € 25 (discounts, € 20). Info, tel. 041.98.42.52.
www.concertinvenice.com - www.collegiumducale.com

PALAZZO BARBARIGO-MINOTTO
San Marco 2504 – Boat line 1 to S. Maria del Giglio
MUSIC AT THE PALAZZO: musical evenings in the atmosphere of a Venetian palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal.
Aperitif Concerts. Soprano and harp – finest opera arias by Verdi, Bellini, Puccini. Drinks will be offered following each concert in the halls overlooking the Grand Canal: All Saturdays and Sundays in December, 6pm

Love Duets from La Boheme, La Traviata and Madama Butterfly: Every Monday and Friday, 8.30pm.

La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi. Opera in three acts, libretto by Francesco Maria Piave: Every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, 8.30pm.

Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini: Every Wednesday and Saturday, 8.30pm.
Admission with card, € 40.00.
Information and reservations, tel. 340.971.72.72.
Web site: www.musicapalazzo.com.

Wow! thanks for all this information Judy. I had already noted that there are Saturday afternnon concerts at Palazzo Albrezzi though I have thenm noted as free. But I had missed that La Boheme is at Scuola Grande ( though it was in one of your previous posts). We are staying very near to there.Unfortunately I'm not sure that my friend will be so keen and so it might be a solo trip. I still fancy La Fenice just for the thrill of being there but it would have to be the standby tickets. I was in Naples last year (makes me sound like a sesoned Italy visitor but I went earlier that year to Rome which was my first visit to Italy - in my 50th year). Didn't manage to see the opera but went on a tour of the opera house and was completely bowled over. Its older than la Fenice - Tosca premiered there and I've got a feeling its also older than La Scala!

I discovered something interesting with La Fenice tickets when I visited in December 2004. For the longest time, no tickets were available for my performance (I started looking around September). Then suddenly, the cheapest tickets were available. I was thrilled and purchased one. However, the cheapest tickets had no sightlines at all on to the stage. Eventually I realized that if you wanted to see anything, you should go stand up and look. And there seemed to be no shame or difficulty in claiming unoccupied seats with sightlines.

Thanks for the info, WillTravel. I, too, really want to see La Fenice. I'd even splurge for the 50 Euro seats, but would prefer getting the cheapest then moving as you suggest. I can't believe that such an expensive concert would sell out. I googled the flute player and found nothing, so he's not likely to be an international flute superstar.

Judy
If you are still watching this thread,the concert has just gone on La Fenice website. Prices for the tickets that are left seem quite reasonable - nothing like the prices referrred to earlier. I am totally confused by the layout of the Theatre and the online booking. Where do you reckon is the best price/ listening location ratio?
thanks

Steelcity-like I said above, the acoustics for La Fenice are superb, so why pay for an expensive seat, when you can get a 15 Euro ticket in the highest balcony area and see and hear the concert perfectly?

Now, an opera is different-you really want to have a seat where you can observe the set design, costumes and the action on the stage, but for a CONCERT? you don't need that, so wait until the day of, and go and buy a 15 euro ticket...and I can say, even from the high balcony perch, where you can move around with ease, one can do QUITE a bit of flirting with people who may be flirting with you from a lower level! (smile)

I'm going to try Girlspytravel's strategy and aim for a cheap ticket in The Gods. Or even for a 29.50 ticket at the box office the night of the concert. But I might phone to check how availability is. Then again I might be too busy!

Kate, the weather is supposed to be good next weekend. Yippee!!!

Just to let you know what we ended up doing Friday night in Venice--we asked at our hotel (Casa Verardo) what concert they recommended and the desk clerk gave us the flyer for the following:

MUSIC AT THE PALAZZO: musical evenings in the atmosphere of a Venetian palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal.

Since it was Friday, we attended:
Love Duets from La Boheme, La Traviata and Madama Butterfly: Every Monday and Friday, 8.30pm.

It was an amazing and moving experience! The talented musicians were a string trio--violin, viola, cello--plus a pianist. The soprano and tenor were wonderful (young and adorable too). The duets were lively and romantic, with one emotional one. In addition to the duets, there was a violin solo and a cello-piano duet (St. Saens' Le Cygne--forgive my spelling!)

To hear such great music so close, with a small audience (about 14) in such beautiful rooms was a unique and special experience. I highly recommend this venue and whatever concerts they might be offering when you are in Venice.

About La Fenice on Saturday night, we got dressed and walked over (it's near our hotel) but they were virtually sold out. There were four seats available together for 10 Euros each, but they were "listening only" and we didn't want that. Otherwise there were only three other seats, separate, listening only also. So we went out to dinner instead and had a lovely evening. I didn't beat myself up for not having reserved tickets because our Friday night concert experience was so special and fulfilling.

Here's more info about the Palazzo.
They also offer:
Aperitif Concerts. Soprano and harp – finest opera arias by Verdi, Bellini, Puccini. Drinks will be offered following each concert in the halls overlooking the Grand Canal: All Saturdays and Sundays in December, 6pm

La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi. Opera in three acts, libretto by Francesco Maria Piave: Every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, 8.30pm.

Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini: Every Wednesday and Saturday, 8.30pm.
Admission with card, € 40.00.
PALAZZO BARBARIGO-MINOTTO
San Marco 2504 – Boat line 1 to S. Maria del Giglio
Information and reservations, tel. 340.971.72.72.
Web site: www.musicapalazzo.com.

Thank u for all the interesting information on this thread. We will be in Venice in May and would like to see a concert in La Fenice and I am also interested in the Musica Palazzo concerts. Are these events offered all year? The site appears to be under construction and the dates addressed seem to be late 2006.

Also is it the Venice Card that offers reduced rates for concerts? I haven't looked into that yet. Do you recommend? Many thanks.

Robyn France

Have you checked the link in the first post on this thread? They list a lot of events. also, there's a booklet, "A Guest in Venice" or something like that, in the hotels. They also have a website.

Hey! I just saw Fodor's blurb on La Fenice-I'm going to BE at that premiere of Rachmaninov's "Paolo e Francesca" one of the great Italian love stories, immortalized in Dante's "La Divina Commedia," (murals of which are on the walls in the bar/refreshment area of La Fenice-beautiful, unfinished murals that remained from the 1996 fire).

Can'twaitcan'twaitcan'twait! Ciao!

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